product certification

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says its first certification program for bio-based products will make it easier for consumers to identify biodegradable, renewable, recyclable and environmentally safe products.

Aquifer depletion, rising temperatures, population increase and ethanol production are conspiring to send grain prices soaring and could lead to a world food crisis, Earthwatch Institute president Lester Brown predicts.

Here is the ideal guide for architects, engineers, interior designers, project managers, facility managers, and building owners for understanding the project certification process for the Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

Choosing the ideal products for your skin type can get complicated. Take the guesswork out of your beauty routine and get a head start on clean skin in 2013 with Elemental Herbology’s NEW Starter Kits.

The Houstonian and Hilton Americas Houston offer guests luxury and comfort in green-outfitted accommodations. From intensive recycling programs to energy management systems, these hotels help you to stay green while visiting Houston, Texas.

A recent American Institute of Architects (AIA) Home Design Trends Survey found that demand for luxury products is waning. In contrast, manufacturers are seeing an increased emphasis on both accessibility/universal design and renewable materials. Essentially, homeowners are shying away from expensive (and usually unnecessary) products that add little actual value to their home, concentrating instead on features that promote energy efficiency and sustainability.

Guest blogger Sonya Newenhouse tests the performance of her new Passive House by not turning on the heat—and enthusiastically reports that you can comfortably live furnace-free in Wisconsin in the winter.

NOTE We never trade products for mentions in our blogs or our published magazine. We do receive free samples and will mention them only if we like the product or find it especially effective. A few years ago a friend

Our menstrual cup comparison looks at two leading reusable feminine hygiene brands: Diva Cup and Lunette. Make an informed decision about which is right for you and start your journey to zero-waste living and a life free from worry, even during "that time of the month."

LG Electronics unveiled a new energy-efficient bottom-freezer refrigerator at the Maison & Object living design exhibition in Paris. The product, which uses linear compressor technology to save energy, was named the best example of an eco-chic product at the exhibition.

Most days I just don't have time to make breakfast. It's the most important meal, though, so usally it's a Larabar and juice for me. I like Larabars because the ingredient list is short and they are delicious. My favorite bar, the Apple Pie , is just dates, walnuts, unsweetened apples, almonds, raisins, and cinnamo

This year at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California, three new natural products stood out from the rest in the event's annual "Best of the West." Discover a new way to soothe the skin with ozonated oil, a new dipable snack option for kids, and new product to help you fall asleep faster.

Natural Home guest blogger Rebecca Selove explains why she chose Southern Forest Initiative-certified wood for the framing lumber of her sustainable Tennessee home that she is building to LEED Platinum standards.

Many beauty products contain harmful chemicals, but figuring out which are the worst can be difficult. Natural Home editor-in-chief Robyn Griggs Lawrence clues you in to the top five chemical ingredients to avoid when buying summer skin care products, and helps you learn about a few natural alternatives.

If you still want to do everything you can to make your home healthy—for your family and the planet—take a look at how you clean. Like it or not, we have to clean our homes on a regular basis. Natural Home offers lots of great ideas for making your own healthy, natural cleaning solutions—or look to some of the great green solutions now available at your grocery store.

Lisa’s Organics, the maker of a line of certified organic vegetable frozen side dishes, has combined the highest-quality veggies with chef-inspired sauces that go from freezer to dinner plate in just five minutes.

I don't know about you guys, but this time of year can be rough. As in your skin. It's cold outside, you are busy getting everything ready for the upcoming holidays, and maybe you haven't gotten in the habit of

This Monday at Herb Companion HQ, we all showed up with sniffles. I can feel it coming on ... my nose is twitchy, my shoulders are achy, and my throat is scratchy. Learn how I treated this cold with herbs.

You've probably seen this product in the endless issues of SkyMall, but let me just tell you, the AeroGarden is every bit as cool as it looks! Also read the history behind, "Mary, Mary quite contrary ..."

It's time for fall gardening, indoor gardening and spring preparation. In preparation, do you know which products to choose and which to lose? Check out my picks for the best autumn gardening products! Part I.

If you're not tech-savvy, gifts kids’ll like are hard to come by. If you don’t want to waste your money on some electrical gadget that’ll likely be outdated the day after you buy it, check out these fun, garden terrariums. They even come in different themes!

The Natural Resources Defense Council sues the FDA to get triclosan and triclocarban, synthetic hormone-disrupting chemicals that are bad for our health and the environment, out of personal-care products.

Check out this excerpt from Healthy Beauty: Your Guide to Ingredients to Avoid and Products You Can Trust by Sam Epstein, MD, to find out more about how to swap out conventional products for healthier, natural alternatives.

Check out this excerpt from Healthy Beauty: Your Guide to Ingredients to Avoid and Products You Can Trust by Sam Epstein, MD, to find out more about how to swap out conventional products for healthier, natural alternatives.

Perhaps the more fitting expression would be, a watched seed never sprouts. But with this clever time lapse camera from Brinno, a great product for this spring, you can see your garden grow from day one until the first snow!

Verikira Naturals is a Vegan Cosmetics Organization certified-company that pledges never to use synthetic fragrances, animal byproducts and unnecessary chemicals. What more could you ask for in a beauty brand? Oh yea – it donates 10 percent of its Pink Grapefruit Collection proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation all year long.

Mixing ergonomic structure with a functional, innovative design makes the Radius NRG line my favorite gardening tool set on the market. And not to sound too much like a salesman (I don't work on commission) they are now available from The Herb Companion.

Lucky are we, that now we have several soiless options for growing herbs indoors, and many of them are very effective. The Power Plant Mini, from Prepara, in my opinion, is not among them. Read my review of this hydroponic product ...

Since 2005, the USDA has been certifying organic beauty products, but it has no control over the production and labeling of cosmetics and personal-care products—which is the exact problem the Organic Consumers Association wants to remedy with its “Coming Clean” campaign.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Numi has created the Indulgent Pu-erh Tea Collection ($19.99 - $24.99). A handsome, sustainable bamboo box holds a premium sampling of Numi’s innovative, artisanal and delicious organic pu-erh teas — the perfect introduction to this innovative line.

At the Herb Companion we are passionate about the well being of humans and animals alike, and we think it is important that our readers are informed of the cruelties of animal testing in the cosmetics industry, the availiable alternatives, and ways to fight back.

Most Americans believe that cleaning products are required to list ingredients on labels. They're not. But Whole Foods is taking matters into its own hands with a color-coded rating system that holds manufacturers accountable for green claims.

Natural Home editor-in-chief Robyn Griggs Lawrence finds a company that upcycles old yoga mats. Recycle Your Mat, a company founded by yogini Stephanie Stano in 2008 gives yoga mats a second life as an upcycled or recycled product.

It's difficult to understand supplements when reputable sources just can't seem to get it right. The NPA recently challenged the Wall Street Journal about an article they published concerning dietary supplements. Read more.

Natural Home assistant editor Kim Wallace spots a great deal! Send in your old lipstick to Lavera, a natural cosmetics company, and Lavera will send you a $10 coupon to purchase a new, natural lipstick online!

When you write for a blog called The Garden Gnome, you tend to get a lot of wacky things many of that make great holiday gifts. Among my favorite is the new book and guide to life, How To Survive a Garden Gnome Attack.

Whether you’re just starting out on the green path or looking for more ways to live sustainably, check out Make Your Place: Affordable, Sustainable Nesting Skills by Raleigh Briggs, which teaches simple domestic skills to help you lead a DIY life.

For some, the cold winter months may bring many ‘a’ merry moment. But for the sympathetic gardener, the humbugs start as the plants begin die. Bring your garden indoors this fall with help from your own personal gardening expert – the EasyBloom.

Getting back in shape to prepare for the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure requires exercise and healing salves for aching joints. Try these natural remedies when soothing your aching muscles.

The Herbalista begins her search for pictue perfect skincare. Herbs can keep your skin healthy and glowing and John Masters Organics combines rose and aloe to create a useful toning mist that the Herbalista uses to get a head start to each and every morning.

The Natural Resources Defense Council has filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration to get the government agency to finalize a law banning triclosan and triclocarban, two chemicals commonly found in antibacterial products.

Though used like timber, bamboo is a grass that self-propagates as it spreads underground via a network of rhizomes. A white oak tree takes 120 years to grow to maturity; bamboo takes three-and-a-half to seven years.

In an effort to help consumers find safer products, the Environmental Working Group has created an online guide that rates more than 2,000 household cleaners for safety of ingredients and disclosure of contents.

This charitable foundation cleans up coasts, employs impoverished communities, turns discarded items into new products and uses the funds from sales to help alleviate environmental issues such as whaling and support social issues such as education, conservation and development initiatives in poor communities.

I've had little opportunity to actually test live plants in my tenure with The Herb Companion. So, when DutchGardens.com sent me some of their beautiful tulip and hyacinth varieties, I was excited and impressed! See some results in this photo-blog!

I read cookbooks like some people read mystery novels or the latest steamy romance. The object of my affections this month is Everyday Flexitarian: Recipes for Vegetarians and Meat-lovers Alike, by Nettie Cronish and Pat Crocker.

These three health-food bars by Barre comprise of nutritious (and delicious) superfoods. Made with the dancer in mind, these bars are perfect for anyone needing an extra boost of energy while keeping the calorie-count down.

Turn a boring wall into a vertical garden with The Woolly Wally Pocket. Made of 100% recycled plastic bottles, this hanging planter is the answer for anyone looking for a unique and eco-friendly planter for container gardening.

If you’re looking for a healthy and eco-friendly dog shampoo that smells great, then look no further than Olive Bubble + Squeak Herbal Dog Shampoo. This shampoo is USDA approved organic, 100 percent biodegradable and bottled in recyclable plastic.

When choosing summer sunglasses, look for products that are both stylish and environmentally friendly. Eco-conscious companies iWood and Kayu both offer trendy lines of sunglasses made using sustainable materials and methods. These sunglasses also offer 100 percent protection from harmful ultraviolet rays that can damage eyes.

Naturally healthy skin need not be a daunting, complex task. It can be a delightful ritual using natural ingredients found in your own home. The important first step is to simplify your beauty routine. Learn about the five necessities.

On Thursday, March 10, our friends from the American Botanical Council hosted their annual ABCelebration. During the reception, three important people were recognized for their tremendous work in the herbal industry.

My favorite experience at the Natural Products Expo West was the 6th Annual FIG Media Luncheon, hosted by the Fresh Ideas Group. This year, the panelists discussed how to pave the road for a healthier future.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the organization that is supposed to evaluate what’s good for you and not good for you, does not evaluate ingredients in beauty products. If the FDA isn’t going to monitor beauty products, who will? Natural Home assistant editor Kim Wallace reviews two organizations that campaign for safer beauty products.

When you’re wrapping up your holiday shopping, consider shopping for a good cause. By giving all of your loved ones Cookies for Kids' Cancer this holiday season you may help bring kids with cancer that much closer to a cure.

If you’re looking for that perfect reusable bottle, check out ALEX. Not only is this water bottle BPA-free and made from premium grade 304 stainless steel, but it also twists apart in the middle, making clean-up a cinch.

SheaMoisture’s Coconut and Hibiscus Curling Soufflé (Gel) with Agave Nectar and Flax Seed is an effective, easy-to-rinse-out, no buildup, light-weight and all-natural alternative to other curl defining styling aids on the market.

Peruse our articles about healthy living from the July/August 2013 issue. In this issue we teach you how to enjoy your bountiful garden harvest all year; give you product recommendations to create a healthier, simpler, more self-sufficient home; show you simple solutions for quick breakfasts; discuss the basics of simple and affordable DIY body-care products; and much more!

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